Replica Husk

[Tuco Cortesi]

Hey guys, new to the forum. Not sure if it's alright for me to be asking this here but you're my last hope. I've been trying to find luthiers that build fakes, replicas if you will. My issues are: first of all, finding anyone I can contact about this, and secondly, certain specs I'm looking for aren't commonly found on Les Pauls, so I can't buy a real Gibson and mod it. So, I thought it would be a good idea to start looking for a luthier who can build me a husk with the specs I need. To be more specific, the "anomalies" I was looking to get are mostly visual, such as fretboard and headstock inlays. Below is a mock-up I made using various pictures from Gibson's website, of how I wanted the guitar to look. And here's the email address you guys can use to contact me: [email protected].

 

[ARandall]

Nobody here will make something with a Gibson logo on it.
Here in the Luthiers Corner section there are builders who could get every other aspect of a Les Paul correct down to the smallest detail....even aspects of a 50s spec that Gibson themselves would never do.

 

[cmjohnson]

Arandall is right, exactly. Nobody here is going to put the Gibson logo on a headstock. Nobody wants to risk the heat that this could bring, plus everybody who could do that job takes pride in putting his own brand name on the headstock. I for one won't make a guitar that has anything but my own logo on my own headstock shape as seen in my avatar. You want a custom Gibson, go to Gibson's custom shop. You want a guitar that's better than anything Gibson's custom shop can make today, there are people here who can do it...but it won't say Gibson on it, not for love nor money.

I think every luthier goes through a copy/replica phase. And when we earn our stripes, we stop doing that and create our own designs. I say it's the point at which a luthier is most likely to have reached maturity in his craft.

 

[Tuco Cortesi]

I totally understand what you guys are saying, thanks for the input, I really appreciate it. I was really just looking for some feedback and explanation. Do you guys have any idea what the Gibson Made to Measure program would charge for something like this?

 

[truckermde]

You could actually mod a Gibson to be exactly like your mock-up. if that is your true desire.

You could even start with a Lester in need of a headstock-repair to save some scratch, if you wanted.

 

[Roxy13]

All you really need if you find the right Gibson looks wise is to have someone make you a new fretboard and remove the Les Paul script from the hs and add that star inlay.

 

[ARandall]

I mean, that build from a re-making point of view is just a parallelogram inlayed fretboard swapped onto a stock Les Paul.
The star would be easy to inlay and then just refin the black.

So you could take any Les Paul that you liked the flame and the neck profile on, and look to maybe doing the work with maybe a new top respray (for your desired colour) and the work detailed above.

I'm pretty sure M2M is like a reissue but more expensive - assuming they actually have unlimited inlay options. You might spend 1/3 - 1/2 of the M2M price on the modded guitar method.

 

[valvetoneman]

I am so over a replica and vintage specs, I've got a couple of bursts kicking about and don't really play them that much

I play my telepaul the most and my new lightweight models with a new neck joint are in another league, once you go lightweight there's no going back for me personally.

 

[cmjohnson]

Personally my 10 pound LP is still my go-to guitar. It has the TONE and to me the 10 pound weight is absolutely no bother at all. (Having a wide strap helps.)

Removing and replacing a fretboard isn't that difficult. I'd say it's an intermediate level project. Not for beginners, but you don't have to find the world's best master guitar repairman to do a good job. Same for adding a new inlay to the headstock.

 

[valvetoneman]

Personally my 10 pound LP is still my go-to guitar. It has the TONE and to me the 10 pound weight is absolutely no bother at all. (Having a wide strap helps.)

Removing and replacing a fretboard isn't that difficult. I'd say it's an intermediate level project. Not for beginners, but you don't have to find the world's best master guitar repairman to do a good job. Same for adding a new inlay to the headstock.

You're welcome to it, way too heavy for my liking, I'm ok at about 9 ish pounds but even then I don't really bother anymore.
Heavy does not equal great tone imo, that's all subjective anyway

 

[Tuco Cortesi]

Thanks a lot for the ideas everyone. I'll definitely think about finding a Lester with a nice top and neck profile, and getting someone to swap out the fretboard and inlays for me, and possibly a refin.

 

[fatdaddypreacher]

what is your general location? maybe someone near you can help or even has something you can check out

 

[Tuco Cortesi]

I'm in Michigan, so if anyone is located around here and could help a brother out, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[Skyjerk]

I am so over a replica and vintage specs.

Amen

 

[Skyjerk]

he said husk

 

[Tuco Cortesi]

What do you guys think about this? Would I be able to get someone to build me this husk? Again, I already have a bunch of parts laying around, so all I really need is a neck glued onto a body.

 

[Roxy13]

I don't see why not.

 

[pshupe]

What do you guys think about this? Would I be able to get someone to build me this husk? Again, I already have a bunch of parts laying around, so all I really need is a neck glued onto a body. View attachment 538833

What's your budget? Custom builds aren't necessarily inexpensive in comparison to kit guitars. I do not deal with kit guitars and I only use quality woods and components. The rough cut wood is usually much more expensive than a complete kit with hardware.

Regards Peter.

 

[Tuco Cortesi]

I was looking for something of very good quality, a guitar that can stick around for a long while, you know. I'm really not sure on budget as of now, I haven't looked too deep into custom builds and their prices. I have however, seen a couple of kits and none have quite what I'm looking for. Let's say I were to order a custom husk (finished body, inlayed neck and headstock), do you have an estimate on how much it would cost?

 

[pshupe]

I was looking for something of very good quality, a guitar that can stick around for a long while, you know. I'm really not sure on budget as of now, I haven't looked too deep into custom builds and their prices. I have however, seen a couple of kits and none have quite what I'm looking for. Let's say I were to order a custom husk (finished body, inlayed neck and headstock), do you have an estimate on how much it would cost?

Would that be finished with a burst like shown in the picture. Basically complete without hardware?

Regards Peter.